Storage Container

ABSTRACT

A storage container having a backup element for spout formation includes a carton that is gable top type. The carton is configured to be opened by first pushing a pair of gables from a front toward a back of the carton so that the gables separate a first seam of a top of the carton and, secondly, by pushing the gables toward the front with concurrent squeezing to separate a second seam to form a spout. A tab that is coupled to an inner face of a respective gable proximate to an upper edge and a midpoint of the pair of gables is configured to be grasped in digits of a hand of a user. The user can pull the tab to separate the second seam in event the pushing of the gables toward the front of the carton with concurrent squeezing does not separate the second seam.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

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STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

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THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention (2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The disclosure and prior art relate to storage containers and more particularly pertains to a new storage container having a backup element for spout formation.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a carton that is gable top type. The carton is configured to be opened by first pushing a pair of gables from a front toward a back of the carton so that the gables separate a first seam of a top of the carton and, secondly, by pushing the gables toward the front of the carton with concurrent squeezing to separate a second seam to form a spout. A tab that is coupled to an inner face of a respective gable proximate to an upper edge and a midpoint of the pair of gables is configured to be grasped in digits of a hand of a user. The user can pull the tab to separate the second seam in event the pushing of the gables toward the front of the carton with concurrent squeezing does not separate the second seam.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is an isometric perspective view of a storage container according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is an isometric perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an isometric perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is an isometric perspective view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 thereof, a new storage container embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the storage container 10 generally comprises a carton 12 that is gable top type. This is a common type of packaging container that is used to store liquid and solid products that are sold for use by consumers. For storing liquids, the carton 12 comprises liquid packaging board or the like. The carton 12 is configured to be opened by first pushing a pair of gables 14 from a front 16 toward a back 18 of the carton 12 so that the gables 14 separate a first seam 20 of a top 22 of the carton 12, as shown in FIG. 2, and secondly by pushing the gables 14 toward the front 16 of the carton 12 with concurrent squeezing to separate a second seam 24 to form a spout 26. A significant shortcoming of prior art packaging containers is failure to separate the second seam 24, as intended, to form the spout 26. The present invention addresses this shortcoming.

A tab 28 that is coupled to an inner face 30 of a respective gable 14, proximate to an upper edge 32 and a midpoint 34 of the pair of gables 14, is configured to be grasped in digits of a hand of a user. The user can pull the tab 28 to separate the second seam 24, as shown in FIG. 3, in event the pushing of the gables 14 toward the front 16 of the carton 12 with concurrent squeezing does not separate the second seam 24. The tab 28 thus serves as a backup means of forming the spout 26 in event the standard method of forming the spout 26 fails. The tab 28 also can be used as the primary means of forming the spout 26.

The tab 28 has a first end 36 and a second end 38. The first end 36 is coupled to the respective gable 14. The second end 38 defines corners 40 of the tab 28, which are arcuate. A line of perforations 42 is positioned in the tab 28 adjacent to the first end 36. The line of perforations 42 is configured to facilitate bending of the tab 28 from a stowed configuration to an extended configuration. In the stowed configuration, the tab 28 is flush to the respective gable 14 and thus is not visible until the gables 14 are used to separate the first seam 20. In the extended configuration, the tab 28 extends from the respective gable 14 so that the tab 28 is configured to be grasped in the digits of the hand of the user and pulled to form the spout 26. The tab 28 is configured to be selectively twisted relative to the respective gable 14 so that the tab 28 is separable from the respective gable 14 along the line of perforations 42, as shown in FIG. 4.

Directive indicia 44 that are coupled to the carton 12 are configured to indicate the pair of gables 14 that is to be used to form the spout 26. The directive indicia 44 may comprise an arrow 46 and OPEN 48, as shown in FIG. 1. Informative indicia 50 that are coupled to the carton 12 are configured to indicate contents of the carton 12, such as milk.

In use, the carton 12 is opened by first pushing the pair of gables 14 from the front 16 toward the back 18 of the carton 12 so that the gables 14 separate the first seam 20 and, secondly, by pushing the gables 14 toward the front 16 of the carton 12 with concurrent squeezing to separate the second seam 24 to form the spout 26. In the event the pushing of the gables 14 toward the front 16 of the carton 12 with concurrent squeezing does not separate the second seam 24, the user can pull the tab 28 to separate the second seam 24.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the element is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

1. A storage container comprising: a carton, the carton being gable top type wherein the carton is configured for opening by first pushing a pair of gables from a front toward a back of the carton such that the gables separate a first seam of a top of the carton and secondly pushing the gables toward the front of the carton with concurrent squeezing such that a second seam of the top is separated to form a spout; a tab coupled to an inner face of a respective gable proximate to an upper edge and spaced from junction of the pair of gables defining a midpoint of the pair of gables wherein the tab is configured for grasping in digits of a hand of a user for pulling to separate the second seam in event the pushing of the gables toward the front of the carton with concurrent squeezing does not separate the second seam; and a line of perforations positioned in the tab for facilitating bending of the tab from a stowed configuration wherein the tab is flush to the respective gable and an extended configuration wherein the tab extends from the respective gable such that the tab is configured for grasping in the digits of the hand of the user and wherein the tab is further configured for selectively twisting relative to the respective gable such that the tab is separable from the respective gable along the line of perforations.
 2. The container of claim 1, further including the carton comprising liquid packaging board.
 3. The container of claim 1, further including the tab having a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to the respective gable, the second end defining corners of the tab, the corners being arcuate.
 4. The container of claim 1, further comprising: the tab having a first end coupled to the respective gable; and the line of perforations being positioned in the tab adjacent to the first end.
 5. The container of claim 1, further including directive indicia coupled to the carton wherein the directive indicia are configured for indicating the pair of gables to be used for forming the spout.
 6. The container of claim 1, further including informative indicia coupled to the carton wherein the informative indicia are configured for indicating contents of the carton.
 7. A storage container comprising: a carton, the carton being gable top type wherein the carton is configured for opening by first pushing a pair of gables from a front toward a back of the carton such that the gables separate a first seam of a top of the carton and secondly pushing the gables toward the front of the carton with concurrent squeezing such that a second seam of the top is separated to form a spout, the carton comprising liquid packaging board; a tab coupled to an inner face of a respective gable proximate to an upper edge and spaced from junction of the pair of gables defining a midpoint of the pair of gables wherein the tab is configured for grasping in digits of a hand of a user for pulling to separate the second seam in event the pushing of the gables toward the front of the carton with concurrent squeezing does not separate the second seam, the tab having a first end and a second end, the first end being coupled to the respective gable, the second end defining corners of the tab, the corners being arcuate; a line of perforations positioned in the tab adjacent to the first end wherein the line of perforations is configured for facilitating bending of the tab from a stowed configuration wherein the tab is flush to the respective gable and an extended configuration wherein the tab extends from the respective gable such that the tab is configured for grasping in the digits of the hand of the user and wherein the tab is configured for selectively twisting relative to the respective gable such that the tab is separable from the respective gable along the line of perforations; directive indicia coupled to the carton wherein the directive indicia are configured for indicating the pair of gables to be used for forming the spout; and informative indicia coupled to the carton wherein the informative indicia are configured for indicating contents of the carton. 